NFL Notebook: Giants, Redskins pick up DBs in Supplemental Draft

Sports Xchange12 Jul 2018, 09:30 GMT+10

In today's pass-happy era, one can never have enough defensive backs.

That likely was the mindset that led NFC East rivals New York and Washington to invest third- and sixth-round selections in the NFL's Supplemental Draft, making it the first time since 2010 that multiple players were picked in the league's annual second-chance draft.

The Giants invested an early pick -- technically the third selection of the third round of the draft -- into the draft's top-rated prospect, Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal.

With the selections, both clubs forfeit the corresponding selections in next spring's draft.

Once the players come to a financial agreement with the clubs, they are eligible to practice and potentially play immediately.

--Running back LeSean McCoy of the Buffalo Bills reportedly has hired a prominent attorney as police investigate a home invasion in Milton, Ga., in which his ex-girlfriend was assaulted.

According to WSBTV.com in Atlanta, defense attorney Don Samuel will represent McCoy, who has not been charged or even mentioned by authorities as a suspect.

Samuel, who defended former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis during his 2000 murder trial in Atlanta, said he is "getting up to speed" on the case and added that he will be speaking with the Milton Police Department.

McCoy's former girlfriend, Delicia Cordon was bruised and bloodied in what Milton Police called a "targeted" home invasion early Tuesday morning. A friend of Cordon's accused McCoy on social media of being responsible, even though he was in South Florida training at the time of the incident. McCoy has denied any involvement.

--Free-agent cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was involved in a physical altercation in which he was attacked by an employee associated with an Atlanta airport, according to a published report.

Per TMZ Sports, Jones was at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday night when Frank Ragin -- an employee of the facilities management company ABM -- "made a gesture" toward him. Police said the two exchanged words before a fight ensued, with Ragin causing a laceration to Jones' face following a strike with a closed fist.

TMZ Sports reported that police said Ragin also hit Jones' female companion at some point during the fight, injuring her hand. Jones soon knocked Ragin to the ground with a punch to the face. He then hit Ragin one more time before another man helped break up the fight.

Police determined that Ragin was the primary aggressor, and he was arrested on two counts of battery. Ragin was taken to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries.

--Jeff Fisher, who has coached in the NFL for 22 seasons, is in talks with FOX about joining the network's team as an analyst in the studio or the booth, the Sporting News reported.

FOX will begin hosting Thursday Night Football this season with its No. 1 team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the booth. Indications are that means Buck and Aikman will take some Sundays off.

The 60-year-old Fisher has said he would prefer another coaching job in the NFL, but FOX has invested an additional $550 million per year for the broadcast rights to "Thursday Night Football" and might make him an offer he can't refuse.

Fisher has coached the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, compiling a 173-165-1 in the regular season and 5-6 mark in the postseason. His 165 regular season losses are tied for the most in NFL history.

--Eli Manning admitted to being pleased that the New York Giants opted against selecting a quarterback of the future with the second overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Giants passed over Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen to select Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed 217 times for 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. The 6-foot-3, 233-pound Barkley also caught 54 passes for 632 yards and two scores, as well as returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

"It was kind of a vote of confidence in that they trusted in me that I can play at a high level, can win games, take us deep in playoffs and win championships and win championships still," Manning told Sirius XM NFL Radio.

"And you know what? I want to prove them right and I want to make them look smart and make them to have made the right decision in doing that. I want to go out there and do great things, do my job and lead this team and make guys around me better and do what I'm supposed to do to put us in position to win those games."

--Free-agent linebacker Connor Barwin is setting the bar high for his next employer.

Barwin told Sirius XM NFL Radio that he's looking for something specific from a team looking to add him to its roster.

"We've had interest from a number of teams all offseason," Barwin said. "The offers I have, I think I'll make my decision before camp starts. I'm not going to go somewhere that I don't think can win a Super Bowl."

Barwin recorded 34 tackles and five sacks in 14 games for the Los Angeles Rams last season. The 31-year-old was playing in his first year with the Rams after four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. He admitted that he had conflicting emotions after watching the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

A signature birthday in one's life to be certain, but Brown wasn't worried about that number representing a potential decline in his skills on the football field.

"I don't pay attention to my age," the six-time Pro Bowl selection said, via ESPN. "I'm feeling great, I'm healthy and I'm in great shape. I feel as long as I have that, I can continue to be productive. ... Life is all about challenges and working to be the best. You never want to limp away from the game."

Brown hasn't limped much at all during his NFL career. In fact, his 733 receptions for 9,910 yards are more than any other wideout since he entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft.

--Safety Brandon Bryant of Mississippi State, who was passed over in the NFL Supplemental Draft, is expected to sign with the New York Jets, the NFL Network reported.

Bryant was one of three eligible prospects who were not selected in the Supplemental Draft. Only two players, Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal by the New York Giants and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander by the Washington Redskins, were chosen.

Bryant is expected to be a backup to Jets' starting safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, who both were selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.

--The Cleveland Browns didn't make a selection during the NFL Supplemental Draft, but they did hold a workout with defensive back Jordan Holland, the NFL Network reported.

Holland most recently played last season with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL and is the son of assistant coach Johnny Holland of the San Francisco 49ers.

Jordan Holland, 23, is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound cover man who was undrafted out of Prairie View AM in 2016.

The Browns have been rebuilding heir secondary, selecting cornerback Denzel Ward in the first round of the NFL Draft, signing E.J. Haines and Justin Durrie, and trading for safety Damarious Randall.